Sound output apparatus and method of controlling the same

Abstract

A method of controlling a sound output apparatus is provided. The method includes determining frequency bands respectively corresponding to an audible band and an inaudible band in relation to a sound that is received via the sound output apparatus by referring to hearing characteristics of a user using the sound output apparatus, compensating for a perception degree in relation to the inaudible band by emphasizing information regarding the audible band of the sound based on a result of the determining, and outputting a sound obtained by reflecting the compensating.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of controlling a sound output apparatus, the method comprising:
 determining frequency bands respectively corresponding to an audible band and an inaudible band in relation to a sound that is received via the sound output apparatus by referring to hearing characteristics of a user using the sound output apparatus;   compensating for a perception degree in relation to the inaudible band by emphasizing information regarding the audible band of the sound based on a result of the determining; and   outputting a sound obtained by reflecting the compensating.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the compensating comprises, in response to the inaudible band being a low frequency band, emphasizing a level difference in levels of a high frequency band component of the sound output to a left ear and a right ear of the user, and in response to the inaudible band being a high frequency band, emphasizing a time difference in times of a low frequency band component of the sound output to the left ear and the right ear of the user. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the compensating comprises:
 calculating a perception loss in relation to a frequency band determined as the inaudible band; and   emphasizing a level difference in relation to the sound output via a left ear and a right ear of the user, or emphasizing a time difference in relation to the sound output via the left ear and the right ear of the user based on the perception loss.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the calculating of the perception loss comprises, in response to the inaudible band being a low frequency band, calculating the perception loss by using a dependence of interaural time difference (ITD) on each frequency bands, and
 wherein the emphasizing comprises increasing a level difference in relation to a high frequency band component of the sound, based on the perception loss.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein, in response to the sound not having the high frequency band component, the compensating further comprises generating pure tones corresponding to a high frequency band, and
 wherein the emphasizing comprises increasing a level difference in relation to the pure tones.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the calculating of the perception loss comprises, in response to the inaudible band being a high frequency band, calculating the perception loss by using a dependence of interaural level difference (ILD) on each frequency bands, and
 wherein the emphasizing comprises increasing a time difference in relation to a low frequency band component of the sound, based on the perception loss.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein, in response to the sound not having the low frequency band component, the compensating further comprises generating pure tones corresponding to a low frequency band, and
 wherein the emphasizing comprises increasing a time difference in relation to the pure tones.   
     
     
         8 . A method of improving a perception degree of a sound directional sense of a sound listener, the method comprising:
 determining a frequency band from among high and low frequency bands in relation to a sound as an inaudible band by referring to hearing characteristics of the sound listener; and   compensating for a perception degree in relation to the inaudible band by emphasizing information regarding the audible band of the sound based on a result of the determining.   
     
     
         9 . A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium having recorded thereon a program for executing the method of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         10 . A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium having recorded thereon a program for executing the method of  claim 8 . 
     
     
         11 . A sound output apparatus comprising:
 a sound receiving unit configured to receive a sound that is generated around the sound output apparatus;   a determining unit configured to determine frequency bands respectively corresponding to an audible band and an inaudible band in relation to the sound by referring to hearing characteristics of a user using the sound output apparatus;   a compensating unit configured to compensate for a perception degree in relation to the inaudible band by emphasizing information regarding the audible band of the sound based on a result of the determining; and   a sound output unit configured to output a sound obtained by reflecting the compensating.   
     
     
         12 . The sound output apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein, in response to the inaudible band being a low frequency band, the compensating unit emphasizes a level difference in levels of a high frequency band component of the sound output to a left ear and a right ear of the user, and in response to the inaudible band being a high frequency band, the compensating unit emphasizes a time difference in times of a low frequency band component of the sound output to the left ear and the right ear of the user. 
     
     
         13 . The sound output apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the compensating unit adjusts a gain corresponding to at least one of the level difference and the time difference. 
     
     
         14 . The sound output apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the compensating unit comprises:
 a calculating unit configured to calculate a perception loss in relation to a frequency band determined as the inaudible band; and   an emphasizing unit configured to emphasize a level difference in relation to the sound output via a left ear and a right ear of the user, or emphasizing a time difference in relation to the sound output via the left ear and the right ear of the user based on the perception loss.   
     
     
         15 . The sound output apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein, in response to the inaudible band being a low frequency band, the calculating unit calculates the perception loss by using a dependence of interaural time difference (ITD) on each frequency bands, and
 wherein the emphasizing unit increases a level difference in relation to a high frequency band component of the sound, based on the perception loss.   
     
     
         16 . The sound output apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the compensating unit further comprises a pure tone generation unit for generating pure tones corresponding to a high frequency band, in response to the sound not having the high frequency band component, and
 wherein the emphasizing unit increases a level difference in relation to the pure tones.   
     
     
         17 . The sound output apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein, in response to the inaudible band being a high frequency band, the compensating unit calculates the perception loss by using a dependence of interaural level difference (ILD) on each frequency bands, and
 wherein the emphasizing unit increases a time difference in relation to a low frequency band component of the sound, based on the perception loss.   
     
     
         18 . The sound output apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the compensating unit further comprises a pure tone generation unit for generating pure tones corresponding to a low frequency band, in response to the sound not having the low frequency band component, and
 wherein the emphasizing unit increases a time difference in relation to the pure tones.   
     
     
         19 . The sound output apparatus of  claim 11 , further comprising a storage unit configured to store the hearing characteristics of the user, a dependence of interaural time difference (ITD) on each frequency bands, or a dependence of interaural time difference (ILD) on each frequency bands. 
     
     
         20 . The sound output apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the sound output apparatus is binaural hearing aids. 
     
     
         21 . A sound output apparatus comprising:
 a sound receiving unit configured to receive a sound that is generated around the sound output apparatus; and   a compensating unit configured to compensate for a perception degree in relation to the inaudible band to be identified by emphasizing information regarding the audible band to be identified of the sound based on a result of identifying a first and second frequency bands corresponding to an audible band and an inaudible band, respectively, in relation to the received sound, and assigning one of the frequency bands as the inaudible band based on a degree of hearing loss of a user using the sound output apparatus.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the receiving operation converts the sound into a frequency domain based on a Fourier transform before being sent to the determining operation. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the receiving operation converts the sound into a frequency domain based on a Fourier transform before being sent to the determining operation. 
     
     
         24 . The sound output apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the sound receiving unit converts the sound into a frequency domain based on a Fourier transform before being sent to the determining unit. 
     
     
         25 . The sound output apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein the sound receiving unit converts the sound into a frequency domain based on a Fourier transform before being sent to the compensating unit.